Eyes
by Madd13
Summary: Haruno Sakura, on a peaceful mission, finds herself in a not so peaceful position when she runs into Uchiha Itachi when he plans to use her for underhanded means. But can he stay entirely cold the entire time? ItaSaku Rated M for later chapter
1. Chapter 1

Haruno Sakura sighed in relief as she took a small sip from her teacup

Haruno Sakura sighed in relief as she took a small sip from her teacup. The pink haired medic, now twenty-one years old, sat in a small tea house in one of the smaller countries as she let her chakra start working itself back up again. She was there on a mission, current status completed, and there was a little time before she had to get going again. The hospital here was smaller than the one in Konohagakure, but it was sufficient for the size of the village. There were a few patients that were now recovering that had needed her specifically to extract poison from their system. So, like any caring medic, she had jumped at the chance to come here and help out.

Unbeknownst to her, this was probably one of the worst moves she could have made. There were dangers lurking in the darkest corner of the teahouse. But she was far too at ease to notice at the moment. Further misfortune would befall the pretty young medic since she hadn't the strength to properly defend herself because most of her chakra was used for healing. She would only be able to run so far before being caught and forced into submission.

A sharp-toothed grin faltered. "Hey. What is wrong with you?" A former Kiri-nin asked his comrade. He leaned forward, bothered that he wasn't being listened to. But the man across from him didn't have attention for him. Instead, he was looking at the young woman across the room. She was so familiar that it took only a minute before he realized who she was. She would be perfect. Her reputation preceded her and meant he would be able to help him until he reached his goal. Perhaps she would be a pawn as well.

"Hn." The darker man answered. His currently obsidian eyes were locked on the kunoichi that would be of great use to him and didn't intend on sharing the plan – not even with the shinobi across from him.

After another half-hour, Sakura rose, paid, and walked out of the small shop into the late evening. She would leave in the morning for home and give Naruto, now Hokage, a positive report and hopefully have a nice night out with a few of her other friends. But the wind that blew from behind her, taking her long rosette tresses to flutter in front of her, was a foreboding one. The two from the corner followed silently, one signaling the other to keep back, to not allow his bloodlust to take him over and ruin what he was about to do.

With a simple Genjutsu, and quite a bit of pain, the Uchiha followed Sakura invisibly into the inn she was staying in for the night. Not a person realized she was being shadowed into her room, not even the medic herself. After all, why would a little place like this have trouble lurking through it? She grinned to herself as she shut the door with a soft click.

A small yelp escaped her lips as she turned to see Itachi of all people lounging on her bed. His blood red Sharingan eyes were trained on her, watching every movement and waiting for her to do something. But she wouldn't; he already knew she wouldn't be able to fight or run. Though she was a good deal better off than she had been a little while ago, she still needed a good night's rest to be formidable in a fight. The smallest of smirks curled his lips upward.

"Medic. You will be coming with me." He commanded. His lilting baritone voice was like velvet, but held the edge of steel that left her no choice. He wouldn't be taking no for an answer, even if it meant a bigger headache than he had now.

Sakura's bright green eyes, surprised and slightly afraid, turned hard and defiant. "I will not. What makes you think I would ever go anywhere with you?" She spat, her adopted attitude she had gotten from Tsunade already showing through. She crossed her arms and glared at the man that had lost her a friend and a long lost love. Sasuke had been driving out of Konoha in a sense, wanting nothing but power so he could fight and kill the man in front of her. He was driven by revenge and she wouldn't forgive Itachi for that.

With grace, the longhaired Uchiha rose and moved towards the woman. He was actually able to loom over her. "You will come because I say so. You will find out your purpose soon." He assured her, confidence evident in every fiber of him. And stupidly, Sakura looked into his eyes that spoke nothing but truth at the moment. She would be leaving with him and she couldn't even defend against it.

Still, she stood to her full height, feigning bravery as if she were going to fight. But she already made her mistake and the tomoe in Itachi's eyes began to spin, locking her gaze there. He reached for her, going straight to a pressure point that would knock her unconscious. The small medic lost focus and slumped forward into the eldest(to her knowledge) Uchiha's waiting arms. He picked her up, carrying her easily to the window and left silently.

"Why are you dragging _that_ around?" Kisame questioned with a sneer and gesturing at Sakura's limp form. He didn't like the idea of having extra weight slowing them down on the way back to the base. He glared at Itachi who, as always, gave him an impassive look. This was hardly part of any of his plans and he didn't see how Sakura of all people would be of any use.

"She's the best medic. She can keep the darkness away until he comes." Was the answer the shark-like man received. Darkness, or blindness. That was the curse of the Sharingan and the only answer was Itachi taking Sasuke's eyes. That would give him permanent sight and he wouldn't have to worry about his failing eyesight anymore. With a low growl, Kisame nodded in understanding and relented to Itachi's wish.

He took the woman from the Uchiha and tossed her carelessly over his shoulder. She would most likely have a bruise from the action by the time she woke up. He continued to grumble quietly to himself, not getting why he had to carry the baggage if it was for Itachi's gain and not his.

Their trip from the small village to the Akatsuki base was a quick one, only a few hours at top speed through a dense forest. Once arriving at the well-cloaked space they could call 'home', Kisame tossed the still unconscious medic back to Itachi and walked off, taking his sword from his back to go train, relieving the tension he was feeling from the trip.

The Sharingan user shrugged it off, not truly caring about his partner and carrying Sakura to an empty room. He set her on the black sheeted bed and waited silently for her to get up.

Sakura groaned as she rolled to her side, her head feeling heavy. She slowly opened her eyes to glance around the dimly lit room. This time she wasn't surprised to see Itachi's red and black clad form standing there. Without giving herself time to adjust to anything properly, she got to her feet and stood defensively. Her chakra was back up giving her a small chance against the man. But even if she had the luck of getting past him, she still had most of the other Akatsuki members roaming the base and wouldn't be able to get past all of them, particularly Kisame and his chakra-stealing weapon.

"Why?" The word was curt, short, and demanded all the reasons for her capture. She wouldn't be a willing captive and wouldn't do things just because she was told to. She would fight against him as much as possible and he would get nowhere if he had to keep subduing her.

An eyebrow raised at how quick Sakura reacted as she woke up. It was … mildly impressive. He let out a small, bemused sound and turned to face her completely. "You will heal my eyes to the best of you ability. I need you to do this until my little brother gets near. Then, you will bring him to me." He had enough time between her capture until now to think of a perfect plan that would get him permanent light.

Sakura's brow creased. She didn't understand what Sasuke would have to do with any of this. But from that moment, she saw it as a definite way to get out of here. She might even be able to save Sasuke as well. She would either completely avoid him, or do as Itachi said and go to him. But from there, she had to convince the younger Uchiha to come back to Konoha with her, get away from this place and not let Itachi have his way in whatever plan he had.

The pink haired girl straightened slightly, jade orbs obviously wary of everything the Uchiha said. But, regardless, she was a smart girl and knew she would do better to do as told for a while until a better opportunity presented itself for her escape. But there was one thing that he probably hadn't thought of – she had Konoha waiting for her arrival in two days time.

"They'll send people for me. I'm on a mission right now and they know that." She pointed, out finding some hope. Surely, Itachi would have to let her go and give up on her if one of the Great Shinobi Villages was waiting on the best medic. He wouldn't want them to come snooping around … wherever they were looking for her, which they would.

"I know." With those two words, her hope vanished. With a simple gesture from him, her gaze was brought to a paper in his hand. "You will write them a message telling them you have to stay longer. I will have it sent out." He instructed, gesturing again, this time to a small desk in the corner. Sakura was stuck in place for a moment, surprised he would think that deeply on her. But, he was a genius. She sighed in defeat and went to the chair and slumped down into it.

"I won't be hurt, will I?" She did have some measure of self-preservation and didn't want this to end in her death. She didn't watch as he moved to tower over her and set the paper in front of her. She waited in silence for her answer as she scrawled over the paper in her elegant script.

Only when she was done did he answer her. "You will remain unharmed if you behave." This made her frown. He wasn't one to explain things well and it grated at her nerves. His curt tone wasn't something she desired either. She thrust the paper in the air, inches in front of his nose.

Itachi glared down at her for a second before taking the message from her. "What does behave mean?" The Uchiha paused at the question, stopping a few feet from the door that would allow her the one glance outside this room she might ever get for a long while. He turned slightly to answer over his shoulder. "You will remain in this room, quiet. You will only leave when summoned and supervised. If you try to escape, I will not hesitate to kill you." The rules were simple. If she remained in the room she was in now, she would remain as she was now – not a scratch on her.

He moved to leave again, but stopped once more with his hand on the doorknob. "Nor will I stop any of the others attempts on your life if you try to leave of your own accord." He added, thinking of Kisame and how much he would enjoy killing the medic. Not waiting when she called for him once again, Itachi left and locked the door behind him. Sakura's questions on meals and bathroom would have to wait or go unanswered. Well, the meals anyway. She soon noticed that there was another door, leading to another room that would prove useful. She just had to hope they would feed her somewhat well while she was stuck with the Akatsuki.


	2. Chapter 2

Haruno Sakura sighed in relief as she took a small sip from her teacup

Well, lack of disclaimer on that first chapter has some copyright infraction yumminess

bDisclaimer/b

I do not own Naruto. Full credit goes to Kishimoto and his teamshould he have one.

bTime Setting/b

Before we learn that Itachi is a sweetie pie 3 Yes, I love him. Don't like it, go away

It had been three days since her capture. Sakura had been fed three times a day, enough food provided that it would sustain her until the next meal. She should be in the hospital right now, tending to the villagers of her home, chatting with friends. But no, she was stuck in the Akatsuki base, not knowing where she was actually located. The few times she had seen one of the Akatsuki members, they hadn't spoken – just setting the plate of food on the desk and swooping back out. The door was always locked and she knew better than to break it down.

She sighed and rested her hands on the tiled wall as she hung her head in the shower. This was doing nothing for her nerves and she could feel it in her back. She could only truly relax when she was out of here, allowed to run for it when Itachi sent her out to find Sasuke, whenever that was.

A sharp knock at the door made her jump and stirred her from her thoughts of escape. She blinked the water from the showerhead from her eyes and turned it off. She heard a soft command to get dressed and ready to work for the first time in days. She did as instructed, dressing in the black attire that she had been give at her request. It was the same thing that the rest of the Akatsuki wore, mesh top with an opaque torso, and black pants. Surprisingly, she found they didn't smell as if they were completely new, like they had belonged to one of the members, yet it fit quite well considering.

Sakura stepped out of the bathroom, toweling her long rose-y tresses dry of all extra moisture. The wet locks curled gently, creating small ringlets around her face as she looked to Itachi who was once again on her bed. "You could ask for help instead of demanding it," She scolded quietly, draping the wet towel over the back of her chair and moving to the head of the bed. "You'll get better reactions and more willing medics that way."

She only received a small 'hn' in response. Frowning, her fingers tugged his head up roughly so she could get him in a better position for her to work on his eyes. Itachi gave her a warning glare, telling her to be gentler with him or be hurt. She ignored it, uncaring that he could kill her with a single look. Still, she was nicer and carefully rested his head on her legs and set to work.

His problem was extensive. His eyes were so horribly damaged, her help would only be able to last so long until he ruined them again. She shook her head, a few drops of water they hadn't left her hair dripping from her bangs to his forehead. The green eyes that had been trained on black went to the droplets and Sakura gently wiped them away, being surprisingly nice about it as well.

This made Itachi frown slightly, studying the jade optics above him that held such caring in them. It was something he had never seen before. His own mother, years ago, had been void of emotions like he was. There was no love in his clan, seeming to be completely uncaring of anything in the world save for power. It was mildly interesting, but he hadn't the care in him to ask why, nor did he talk enough to want to listen to why she would have so much emotion within her when shinobi were supposed to be emotionless, fighting machines.

It took her an hour, and a considerable amount of chakra, to fix the Uchiha's eyes to a relatively stable condition. He would have a week at best before he would need her again. This would mean she was stuck with nothing to do, nothing to look forward to for seven days. That was unless he used his Sharingan more often than she had seen Sasuke use it. Chances were he did so he would be back in another few days.

Sakura sighed and really looked at the man resting on her lap. He was amazingly asleep. It seemed her cooling chakra and lulled him into a peaceful state and gave him the chance to properly recharge himself. She grinned down at him, finding him looking oddly angelic though she knew he had killed so many people. He had slaughtered his family, nearly killed her former sensei and he managed to look somewhat innocent in sleep.

But, she couldn't have him sleeping here with her since she herself needed to rest now. She was gentle while trying to rouse him, giving his shoulder a light shake and saying his name quietly. It was her damn medical side, caring for him like a mother would for her child rather than shoving him off like the woman that hated her torn friend's brother. Though she was kind about it, the green-eyed woman had a kunai to her throat faster than she could blink.

Itachi was a creature of habit and was always on guard. His eyes snapped open with the slightest prompting, onyx bleeding to crimson within seconds and protected himself. He had startled his medic and she stared down at him, barely breathing in shock. When he saw whom and where he was, he relaxed and sat up. He put the kunai away and shifted off the bed. He didn't bother with an apology or a show of gratitude.

He was out the door faster than she was able to recover and she was left to stare at the wooden door. Her nimble fingers brushed over where the blade had grazed her. No blood, thankfully. She had to make a note not to let him sleep or to react faster when she woke him up. With a sharp exhale, she shifted on the bed and laid down to get some sleep, getting her chakra back quickly.

"Kunoichi!"

The single word, loud and abrasive, made her shudder and wake up with a groan. "It's Sakura," was her response and she rolled over to glare at the door. It was open already and the shark-like man of the organization stood there, filling the space easily. "Yeah, whatever. Get your ass up. Itachi wants to see you."

This brought a crease to Sakura's forehead and she got up. Her feet hit the floor soundlessly and she walked over to the waiting man. "What for?" She asked, wondering what she had done wrong to merit her being pulled from her room. "How should I know?" He shot back with a snarl. He put a large hand on her shoulder and shoved her in the direction she was to go. He barked the directions to her, following her down various hallways until they reached the right room. He gestured to it and disappeared the way they had come.

This both worried her and comforted her. Had he stayed, there may have been a good chance she was about to be hurt. But with him gone, she was once again alone with Itachi and she didn't know what to expect from him. She took a deep breath and pushed into the room to be met with quite the surprise.

A large enough mahogany table that would seat all of the Akatsuki if they were still at full force occupied the room. It must not have been used often since she didn't think any of them seemed likely to willingly sit down for a lovely dinner together. But now, there was a candelabrum at one end, set in front of a reclining Uchiha. Before him was an elegantly set place, a second waiting to his right. He gestured for her to sit with long fingers and the quickest of glances. She wasn't even sure he had even looked at her, but she moved anyway.

She was drawn to how nice things were set up, how the air was permeated by the smell of a good meal. Verdant eyes stared down at it before moving to obsidian orbs. "Did you cook this?" Her answer was a curt nod and still no true eye contact. It perturbed her slightly but she decided not to let it bother her too much. She picked up the shop sticks next to the plate and took her first bite.

"It's amazing," She praised quietly, her shock evident as she took a second bite. Still, he made no comment, no acknowledgement that he was aware of her surprise or explanation as to why he would know how to cook. The night was silent, not even noises from the others outside the door came to her ears. It made her uncomfortable though she dealt with it until she was finished.

"That was delicious. Thank you." Her voice was quiet as she put her napkin on the table. If she knew where the kitchen was, she would have gotten up to clean. But she only vaguely knew where her bedroom was. She would have to leave the cleaning to Itachi as well. She felt slightly bad that she couldn't do anything to help but it was his rules.

"You're welcome." The Uchiha spoke for the first time that night and rose from his high backed chair. He motioned for her to do the same and she obeyed. Another first of the night – their eyes met and she saw something strange there. She noted how the shadows cast from the flickering candlelight danced over his features, making his insomnia lines look deeper. He looked beautiful, making her heart beat like it used to when she saw his younger brother in certain lights when she was younger. But she also saw something else. His eyes were different.

In the orange glow, she saw mild curiosity directed at her. He wanted to understand what he had seen in her earlier. She had brushed water from his face with such care that afternoon and he couldn't figure out why. Sakura was so much different from what he was used to; he had to understand her better but he couldn't even bring himself to speak. He was programmed to be silent, give as much information as was needed only when it was needed. He didn't intend on changing himself just for her, just to find out what was so different from her, even though she had found a small way to catch his attention and give him something to break the monotony of Akatsuki life.

Since he wasn't going to change, he would just have to read her like he did others. He would logically put her answers and reactions to things and others on his own then go from there. But for now, he would leave her to be the perplexing enigma she was. "Come. Back to your room." He ordered, brushing passed her and out the door.

Sakura followed quickly and kept on his heels. "Why did you do that?" She asked. The medic needed to know. It seemed too soft to be something Itachi of all people would do. She would soon realize that it was his was of thanking her for keeping blindness at bay. It would be his way of thanking her for bringing Sasuke to him and indirectly giving him permanent light. She didn't know it yet, but she was now the key to him getting what he wanted. She was vital though she couldn't be treated as anything special.

"Aren't you going to answer me?" She pressed again. She tapped on his shoulder to get his full attention but got nothing. "Hey, I want an answer." Their pace was quick and they arrived at her door quicker than she had gotten to the dining room. "Well?" She moved to stand in front of him and put her hands on her hips. She wouldn't budge until she had some kind of answer from him.

"Good night." His sharp tenor left no room for her to press him further again. Still she didn't back down and didn't move into the room. He simply stared down at her, meeting her glare evenly, no sign of his curiosity in his dark eyes again. So much for them being the window to the soul, or the one thing that would give away emotions. Sakura saw nothingness in them and huffed, slamming the door in his face as she stormed in. He smirked lightly and locked the door.

The smirk turned into a frown quickly, though. He let out a heavy sigh and started down the hallway towards his own room. He hung his head, ebony bangs falling in a curtain around his pale face. She was so complex, he now understood some of Sasuke's attraction to her. He knew his brother didn't love the girl, but he had a place in his heart for both her and the Jinchuuriki. They had emotions and made an impression on him that made him weak. That was why she was needed for this. But if the younger Uchiha took long enough in getting near, would he be able to fight without gaining injury, as usual. Would he be able to last the fight without bringing her up and allowing some opening for Sasuke to hurt him?

No. Impossible. Itachi would be fine and only use the girl before killing her after she had served her purpose of getting him eternal sight. She would be the downfall of her own friend and make him the most powerful shinobi. Once he had Sasuke, he wouldn't have a weakness such as headaches to slow him down and allow someone the chance to break through his defenses and defeat him.


	3. Chapter 3

Haruno Sakura sighed in relief as she took a small sip from her teacup

A month past since that dinner. Both parties still thought on it, though Itachi quite a bit less than Sakura. He was preoccupied with his brother's whereabouts and the other members of Akatsuki. He had also been on missions, a few of them being self-assigned to send word to Konoha that their medic was fine and needed a little more time elsewhere. They would get suspicious soon, but hopefully 'her' continued correspondence with them would keep their worries about her to a minimum. At least she was alive, right?

But the rosette haired captive had thought on it often, wondering why, trying to understand what he had been curious about. That had been the only thing that had broken his stoic personality and intrigued her. There had been questions when he brought her meals and the three other times he had come to her for medical care. But nothing got answered. He was always quiet, sweeping in and out quickly and falling asleep in her lap. She sighed heavily as she lay on her bed, head hanging off the end as she stared at the wall.

The door creaked, drawing her attention to the other side of the room. Itachi, the very being of her thoughts, materialized in her room with lunch. She sat up and started to get up to sit at her desk and eat there, as usual. But he motioned for her to stay. Her expression went from blank, to curious, to angry. He had to stop ordering her and had to start explaining things. The few times she actually said something to him about it, she had gotten nothing but 'hn's as an answer.

Still, she remained where she was, crossing her legs and receiving the plate graciously. She thanked him and waited for him to leave. Her jade eyes went from the plate to the Uchiha as the bed shifted under his weight, signaling that he was sitting with her and wasn't going to leave. "You may ask a few questions now," He told her formally and tersely, his tone never changing from its monotone. He didn't care that he seemed vaguely warm towards her when he did speak – this truly being the first time –, or that one night when he had made dinner for her, then immediately went cold again.

This only angered her further. "Why the hell did you bring me here, cook dinner, then not talk to me for weeks?" She asked, irate. She wanted to throw the plate at him, but knew better. That would be considered misbehaving and earn her some form of torture. Also, she didn't want to go until the night without something in her stomach. So, instead, she ate what was on the plate, but with attitude if that were possible.

"You are here because I require your services, I felt like cooking, and I don't talk often." He answered softly. He made it sound as if she were having little effect on him though he was burning to understand her now that he had a moment to think over her reactions and saw how vivid she was getting in her anger. He studied her closely, watching each small movement for anything that would hint at any other emotions that could be intermingling with rage.

"Why are you willing to talk now?" She said after a short silence and putting the plate down and out of her immediate grasp. If she got any more upset, that would be her one weapon against him since he had been prudent enough to devastate her of her various pouches and even her medical skirt. He had left her with her only outfit she had had with her, now replaced with a few sets of Akatsuki outfits, sans cloak of course.

Itachi shifted as she did; he crossed his legs, back pin straight, as she leaned forward, resting her elbows on her knees. "I felt it time to enlighten you on a few things." He replied simply, watching her expression change from anger to wariness for a moment before shifting once more into curiosity. And so it went for the better part of an hour. She asked questions, and he gave short, to the point answers.

He gave no information on his current plan, most of his past, and nothing of where they were. Sakura was only allowed to know small things about him, inconsequential things that he didn't care about, such as his like of sweets, particularly dango. He hadn't been allowed any when he was young, but now had random cravings for such things and indulged himself without guilt.

These were just dirty little secrets that few, if anyone, knew. Why she was allowed to know, she would probably never understand. But to him, this was one person that he felt he could trust – to a point. There was just something different about her, something that made him want to share the little things with like he had no one else. Itachi was just as confused as she was and he didn't like it one bit. He would have to think over all this in depth that night.

When Sakura ran out of questions for the moment, the Akatsuki stood and swept out without another word, as usual. It left the medic to stare at the door, scratching her head. It was surprising to know that, save for the clouds, his cloak was his favorite piece of attire and favorite colors. She doubted his partner would know that. She didn't think anyone ever would. It made her feel … special in a way to know he would impart such details to her. It made her feel more connected to the mysterious man and was the start of something that could ruin her.

The next day, the same time, the Uchiha entered the captive's room but didn't speak. He had returned to the cold being he usually was and set the plate he had in his hand on the desk. He felt green eyes on him, curious, longing (for conversation he supposed), and something else that he couldn't place. He didn't acknowledge it. He left quickly and grinned to himself, the expression barely registering on his lips. There was a new part to the plan, and it had started working already.

Crimson optics studied a piece of paper on a large desk. Black tipped fingers tapped restlessly on the wood in aggravation. He was moving to slow for Itachi's liking. Sasuke had to pick up his pace soon or the elder Uchiha would be lost. He knew he was going to use Sakura's feelings against her; he was going to get her to love him, or close to it. He just didn't count on his own heart feeling oddly lightened now that he had shared intimate details about himself with someone.

But he was better than that. He wouldn't be swayed by useless things such as emotions and could distance himself easily. He would make it seem like he was falling for her, changing for her, but it would be an illusion. It would be as if he were using his Mankeyou on her, creating a completely different world where he was a 'normal' human being. That was all it could be. He couldn't let the pink haired powerhouse get to him like she had gotten to his little brother. It was because of her and the blonde that Sasuke was weak and still couldn't beat him.

He sighed and straightened up, running his hand through raven locks that were free flowing instead of tied back. A few of the longer strands fell forward, draping over his shoulder and resting on his clothed chest. This was going to be difficult. The only hope he really had for this illusion to really work was her imagination. Itachi had to hope it was strong enough to make something out of nothing. Starting next week, he would give her looks with his dead eyes and she would see some form of emotion in them with any luck. Then things would be more interesting and better for him when Sasuke finally got close enough for him to put the last few parts of his plan into action.

As usual, that next week, the Uchiha went to her for his usual healing session. He found the medic on the bed, reading a scroll she must have found in the room. He didn't think anyone would give her one and risk feeling his wrath. They didn't know what was and wasn't allowed to be at her disposal during her months with them. "Medic, please, put that down," he said to get her attention as he entered quietly.

"I'm starting to think you all just call me 'medic' and 'kunoichi' to get on my nerves." She shot back quickly, more stating a fact than sounding upset about it. She couldn't remember a single time one of the men, or the woman with a flower in her hair and classic beauty, had ever called her 'Sakura'. She sighed and did as told, rolling the parchment up and setting it beside her bed. She shifted so she was in their customary position and waited for Itachi to rest his head on her lap.

This time he surprised her. Not by correcting himself by calling her by her name, but he asked about her reasoning for becoming a medic. As her hands hovered near his temples, she looked right into the black depths of his eyes. As he had planned, she saw genuine interest in them. It startled her and kept her silent for a moment. Blinking out of her daze, Sakura rested her hands on his head and started healing his eyes, then went into explaining that she wanted to be of some use to her team. Being a medic was the one way she was sure she would be able to help them even though she was still weaker than them, despite her best efforts.

She sighed when she finished explaining herself to the Uchiha, expecting him to have fallen asleep and leave her to mull over how powerful the rest of her team was. The Hokage had Kyuubi, giving him unlimited chakra when his own ran out though gaining the fourth tail or more could kill him. Sasuke had the Sharingan and a curse seal thanks to Orochimaru. Kakashi, her first teacher had Sharingan as well and could create vortexes with it. But Tsunade, her second teacher, she was stronger than her. Sakura was able to perform more medical jutsu than the Sannin. That was her one consolation in all this.

But Itachi didn't let her dwell too long on such thoughts. He asked about what things were like when she was a genin. His velvet voice breaking the silence made her falter again. She hadn't thought him the type to share things and be so willing to listen to others. He was throwing surprise after surprise at her and she wasn't sure what to make of him anymore. Perhaps he was just misunderstood. He no longer seemed like the monster Sasuke and Kakashi, along with everyone else in Konoha, had painted him to be. He was being very kind to her overall and wasn't allowing his bloodthirsty friend take so much as a swing at her though she could see in Kisame's gleaming black eyes how much he wanted to.

But this was a good opportunity to strengthen whatever connection was there with the man lying before her. So, she went into how weak she had felt and how useless she had been. She condensed all her years up to the Chuunin Exams. That was when she was able to prove herself to some extent though she didn't tell him about that. He hadn't asked how they had gotten through the written portions, survived the Forest, or how they had done during the final rounds. She was picking up his habit of giving information that was asked for, nothing more. Though she was still much more verbose in her responses than he was.

She sighed quietly as her hands fell away from him, her healing for the day finished. Itachi sat up and turned to face her. Though she had long put those years of mild of oppression behind her, it still hurt a little. Her eyes showed the somberness the recollection of those years brought. He raised a hand and gently brushed her pink bangs behind her ear. Sakura stared with wide eyes and nearly forgot to breathe.

"You didn't think I was a complete monster, did you?" He asked rhetorically. He didn't give her enough time to answer as his fingertips brushed over her cheek when his hand fell. He got up and left her to marvel at how much he was changing. He would let her think that she was actually getting to him and finding a way to get into his heart. She was, but he would never admit that to anyone – even himself.


	4. Chapter 4

Haruno Sakura sighed in relief as she took a small sip from her teacup

"Kunoichi, Itachi would like to see you."

The voice that called Sakura out of her room was soft and obviously feminine. It was the woman with the blue hair. She medic opened her door to see the female Akatsuki dressed exactly like her. She smiled slightly, though she knew she wouldn't get one in return. At least it was better than the murderous glance she would have gotten had it been Kisame that had come to get her again.

It had been nearly two months since she had last seen anything but this room. And still, the candlelit dinner was fresh and vibrant in her mind. The few times she thought of Itachi in the dim light, her heart beat faster and her cheeks flushed lightly. It was harder now to keep that from happening since she felt like there was something starting between them.

The kunoichi didn't know how many times she had thought such a thing was horribly wrong. She would be betraying so many people and herself for even thinking of getting any kind of involved with this Uchiha. But she couldn't help that her heart was speaking for her. It knew what it wanted and it was the man she was being lead to now. It didn't care that Itachi had made his stops into her room less frequent. It did care that when he did come in, that he would stay for at least and hour to talk to her. He had delved into her life a lot further than he allowed her into his. Still, she answered and waited her chance to be able to get into his head a little more. She hoped that he would let her in further.

"Enter. You do not want to make him wait." Came the soft indifference of Konan, though the name was unknown to Sakura, as they came to a stop outside the dining room. The blue haired woman pushed open the door and continued down the hall in the direction they had been traveling. She disappeared into the darkness quickly and Sakura entered with a deep breath.

It was exactly the same as last time. Itachi sat at the head of the table with a plate set at his right. She quickly took her place but didn't question him this time. She already knew he made the food in front of her. He had taught himself over the years while he had nothing to do. It was a hobby of sorts. He had done well in his years of virtual solitude though he had nine others around him, though that number was starting to dwindle down.

She murmured a quiet 'thank you' and started eating in silence. No more than a few minutes in, he spoke. "What are your feelings toward Sasuke?" Sakura glanced up to meet black eyes staring calmly at her. There was no hint of anything, no hurting intent behind the question. But it was a surprise to hear him of all people to be asking her about her old crush.

With a small sigh, she straightened up slightly. "I used to love him. I had hopes he would return to Konoha after failing to defeat you and he would see how much he still meant to me," She started, a small somewhat sad smile on her lips. "But, when he never came back, I started to give up on my dream of being with him." Her brilliant jade eyes dropped from Itachi's onyx ones and looked unseeingly at her plate. It still bothered her that Sasuke was still so obsessed with revenge. He had been hunting for the man at her side for nearly ten years now. Wasn't it long overdue that he gave up?

"I still care for him, though. I want him to be okay," She sighed and tried to brighten up again. That was the one thing that might endanger his plan. Even if it was just concern for Sasuke's well being, she might run into the middle of the fight and try to stop them. Then she would most likely get her and then what good would she be in healing his eyes one last time. Itachi would have to make sure there was a deeper, connection between him and the woman at the table so she would side with him more than the younger Uchiha. She didn't have to like what would happen, but she had to accept that it needed to happen.

In the next few days, he would have to make sure there was a concrete connection between them in her mind. Sasuke was getting nearer, only a few weeks off. Then he would send her out to get him and bring him to his doom. Itachi stood and left his meal, half eaten, where it was. He moved to tower over the sullen rosette haired woman that looked amazingly beautiful in the orange glow of the candles. She had become a truly lovely creature. She had filled out well over the years, her figure curving in the right places and her face thin and complimenting her eyes well.

He cupped her cheek softly, rubbing his thumb over her pale skin. "He is a fool." He murmured quietly, bending down to be eye to eye with her. His half-lidded gaze met hers dead on, letting her see emotion he didn't realize was actually there. It was no longer her imagination making her see things, but he was unconsciously showing her that she really was getting to him though he had yet to register it. It would still be a few days before he would evaluate himself and find this medic, this one person, would affect him so much.

"He should have taken the chance to gain a normal life with a caring woman like you." Silver-tongued lies fell from his lips. He didn't really want Sasuke to have given up his search for her. That may have lessened his chances in getting permanent light for himself. He couldn't have that. He was glad he had a foolish little brother.

But his words seemed sincere enough to make Sakura blush. Her cheeks matched her hair and her eyes fell away from Itachi's. She tried to bow her head to conceal her reaction to him but wasn't denied the chance. His hand moved to hold her chin up between his thumb and index finger. She was forced to meet those dark pools again and let him see how he was getting to her. He smirked slightly, making her heart beat faster. If he really smiled, he might have been able to make her melt.

That wasn't what he wanted just yet though. He straightened up and let his hand fall from her face, open palm up to take hers. He was being a gentleman for the night and would escort her properly back to her room. He helped her from her chair when she finally composed herself enough to lay her smaller hand in his. His fingers wrapped easily around her hand, holding it firmly in his own.

The Uchiha opened her bedroom door for her when they reached it. But he didn't let her hand go just yet. He bowed slightly, raising her hand to his lips and brushing them lightly over the back of her hand. A masked man strolled passed the pair as Itachi did so and giggled. The one set of black eyes bled to red and two sets of Sharingan met each other – one glaring, the other filled with an amused light. The man with the lollipop like mask would have to wait to pay for his mocking, which was exactly what he was doing.

As Sakura disappeared into her room to blush and contemplate over the events of the night, Itachi glared down the hall after Tobi. His next plan was to plot the downfall or at least a severe beating for his former teacher. Madara wouldn't be allowed to scoff at him for implementing a woman into his plan to get rid of the impending blindness. He stalked down the hallway to his own room, pushing forcefully passed Kisame who had been about to greet him. The fish like man scowled after the Uchiha and quietly snarled. He knew better than to complain completely to the raven-haired man when he knew that just a glance from him would end in horrible mental images.

Images of home floated through Sakura's head as she slept. It was well into the night, two nights after her most recent dinner with Itachi and he had shown her a gentler side. As much as he occupied her thoughts, the nights were spent in a village she hadn't seen in months. She should have been there a long time ago, perhaps on a new mission now. But she was still a captive and could only dream of the smiling faces of her friends.

Everyone was there at the moment; all of Team Seven, from the missing Sasuke to Sai. She smiled in her sleep at the laughing blue eyes of the Hokage and the single eye that caught everything though it was trained on an orange book in Kakashi's hand. As she rolled over, the scene changed. Her apartment that was filled with her life long companions morphed into night, the sky darkening over the forests just outside the village walls. There was only one other person in the silence save her. Piercing red eyes broke the darkness.

The Sharingan stared the medic down in her dream and when she started, she woke to the same look. It was eerie how Itachi invaded her room and changed her dream to match the current situation. She could see the crimson of his eyes as he sat on her bed, nose inches from hers. She realized now why she thought of the forests. He smelt of fresh rainwater and that was one of the last times she had walked through the forest, right after a shower. Now was also the time she realized that her clothes smelt just like him.

The Uchiha hadn't just given her clothes, but his clothes. They must have been from when he first joined the organization and fit him when he was young, before he grew taller and broader. Again, she couldn't help the red in her cheeks at the thought that he would give her something personal. At least it was dark and there was less chance for him to see how he effected her.

Itachi shifted to lean over her and whisper in her ear. "Come, Sakura. We are going outside." The way her name rolled of his tongue so easily, and oddly sensually, made a chill run down her spin. She whimpered quietly and could do nothing but nod. No one had acted like Itachi was. She had dated Naruto for a few months when they were sixteen, but nothing serious. It turned out their strong feelings for each other were strong in the sense that they were like family.

This would be her first time in any kind of situation that could end up in any kind of intimacy with a man. It seemed likely that it would end as such. But at least she would be flustered outside, in the fresh air and hopefully looking up at the starry sky. That she could handle very well and wouldn't mind sharing it with Itachi since he was so much more agreeable than anyone would have thought.

The pale man was pleased with the reaction he got from her. With this proximity, he could feel her body shivering under his, he could all but hear her heart beat accelerate. He ran his nose along her jaw line, taking in the scent that was true to her name; she smelt of cherry blossoms blooming in the spring. Again, she shivered under him and he grinned to himself as he sat up, offering her his hand once more. He led her quietly through the base.

Once outside, he let his bigger hand slip from around hers and jumped onto the roof that looked like a simple hill. He disappeared quickly and left Sakura to stare after him, debating if she should take this rare opportunity to run for it. But he had said he would kill her if she tried to escape. Even worse, she could see him sending Kisame after her. That could be a worse death since the shark-like man already wanted to kill her. She grimaced to herself and followed after the Uchiha to find him lounging on his back gazing up at the bright moon.

Slightly uncomfortable, she sat next to him, crossing her legs and looking at the clusters of twinkling diamonds on the black silk hanging above them. The only noise that could be heard was the soft hooting of an owl off in the distance. Crickets joined it, creating a small orchestra. They played for the pair that had eyes for the sky alone, or so she thought.

Once Sakura joined him, Itachi's eyes went straight to her, studying the way her long pink tresses flowed down her back and looked so pale against the black shirt she had on. "Lay with me," He commanded quietly, not wanting to break the serenity of the night. Without acknowledging that she had been told to do something, the medic obeyed and curled into the Uchiha's side. Her head rested on his shoulder, her ear close enough that she could listen to his heart beat steadily and calming her completely.

The Akatsuki wasn't entirely surprised that she had decided to press into him. But it was slightly off putting that it seemed right that she did. He couldn't understand why he felt so pleased with her heat against his side. Though he wrapped his arm around her, his brow creased and the corners of his lips curled down into a frown. This was turning into more than he was expecting and would have to find a way to get himself distanced in his own mind. If he allowed himself to get too involved with this girl, he might be lost in the fight as well.

Hours past as the makeshift couple lay in the grass that soon became moist with dew. It wasn't the most pleasant of sensations for the Uchiha, but it still hadn't made him stir just yet. It didn't bother the young woman in his arms either; she was fast asleep again. If he hadn't been so attentive anyway, he would have noticed that fact by how her breathing had slowed and deepened.

Itachi sighed and carefully maneuvered her into his arms so he could pick her up and carry her. He had been used to silence, and this one had hardly been different. But the soft sound of her gentle breathing had soothed his racing mind into near blankness. It had been a relief to have something that could bestow peace on his scarred psyche like that. There was a lot more to the small figure in his arms than he thought. He glanced down at her as he moved into the base, back into the darkness and away from the slightest paling in the sky signaling the soon to come sunrise.

Sakura looked like an angel dressed in black. It was a shame she was a shinobi in a way. There was so much death, a horrid life to lead if one had a life like his. But still, she was so innocent, so pure despite how horrible the world was around her. She was her own beckon of light and hope, seeing the world through rose-colored glasses. He sighed as he pushed her door open with his foot and stepped inside to set her against the dark sheets. He slipped the cover over her and was compelled to brush away her bangs from her face.

His last action while in the room would have startled anyone into complete and utter silence, even the crickets outside. Uchiha Itachi bent down and placed a soft, chaste kiss on her lips before sweeping out to worry over his mental state and how far her was allowing himself to fall.


	5. Chapter 5

Haruno Sakura sighed in relief as she took a small sip from her teacup

A week. Itachi had a week before he had to send the medic out. He had to put the last nail in her coffin before then. It was both good and bad. He didn't like that he had to work her over so soon, but he was pleased that Sasuke was so close. At least his plan was working out accordingly and would allow him to move onto bigger fish. The most pressing of those fish would be what to do with her once he was finished with her.

He let out a heavy sigh and straightened up. Pulling on the heavy fabric of his cloak, the Uchiha figured he could keep her here, a more willing 'captive' and a new member to the Akatsuki. If she were going to fall in love with him, he might as well make it beneficial for the organization and get them the most talented medic there was. The only thing that would change here is the location of the base due to Konoha scouts looking for the forced Nuke-nin that would be Haruno Sakura, and perhaps a better success rate due to extended life spans from healed wounds that could be fatal.

Another three days past. Sakura hadn't seen so much as a glimpse of Itachi. He had been avoiding her since their night beneath the stars. She started blaming herself for his prolonged absence. She had obviously done something wrong that night. What else could it be? He had stolen her heart and she had showed it too much perhaps. There was something in her eyes that scared him, or displeased him and kept him at bay. She was worrying herself sick over this. Not even the heat of the water running over her at the moment was helping at all.

She had asked whoever came in to give her food if they had seen Itachi recently. She either didn't get an answer at all or a curt yes before they left again. Konan was the only one that was even marginally warm towards her. She had said that he would come in due time and not to worry. Perhaps it was that they were the only two females in the base that compelled the woman to act kindly to her, trying to placate the stressing rosette haired medic. Maybe it was just annoyance that made her say something. Either way, she had seen how much the Uchiha meant to her and, though he didn't know it showed, the blue haired Akatsuki had seen some form of attraction in him as well. But lucky for him, she was the only one to notice.

Lucky, indeed. Had the other men known about his growing feelings that were trying to break through his hard outer shell, they would have laughed at him like Tobi had the one night Itachi had acted gentlemanly. Then there was a good chance the organization would have to start from scratch. The middle Sharingan user would have gone on a cold-blooded rampage and killed most, if not everyone, in the base. A small price to pay to keep his pride.

But it wasn't pride or distancing himself that kept Itachi away; he was planning out a 'perfect' night for the kunoichi. There was only so much he would be able to do considering his restrictions for her and the fact that he didn't want to go out with her in case someone should recognize him and have at both their lives. That could very well kill any mood he would try setting.

He was also curious as to how his fight with Sasuke would turn out. He already knew he would win, but the little details interested him. He knew well of his little brother's curse seal and wondered if that would have any part in next week's event. They would all see soon enough. First things first though – the girl had to be won over completely now.

The night came quickly enough, leaving only another hour or two for the Uchiha to prepare. Sakura paced restlessly in her room. She had taken three hot showers to relieve the knots in her back – it didn't help. She was as tense as ever in waiting for her newest love to return to her. It was terrible that she gave her heart so easily. What was worse was that just liking him mildly would have turned all of Konoha against her, but now that she loved him? They would have her head if she returned and they found out how strongly she felt for yet another of the doomed clan. She couldn't return after this.

Her dinner was left, unattended for over an hour. Kisame, her archenemy of the group, had dropped it on her desk and laughed at her for fretting like this. Like Konan, he saw her emotions written clearly in those big, bright green eyes of her. They always gave her away, even to the least desirable of people. She had sighed heavily and crossed her arms at his scoffing. He only left when she turned on her heel and glared at the wall.

Good news came knocking on her door. That never happened and her heart jumped to her throat in hopes that it would be Itachi that would unlock the door. Fortune would have it that it was. Her face brightened upon seeing his obsidian eyes. She smiled an entrancing smile that took the Uchiha by surprise though it didn't register in his expression. It actually took his breath away for a moment before regained his composure. He beckoned for her to follow him silently.

Like the girl she once had been around Sasuke, she followed quickly. She noticed as he turned around that his ebony tresses were currently untied. They floated behind him elegantly and distracted her from realizing they were heading in the opposite direction she was used to. The medic only noticed they weren't headed to the dining room when he stopped and they hadn't made a turn at all.

The pair stood in the dark empty hallway in front of a door exactly like hers. This hinted at nothing special being behind it. Sakura looked at Itachi with questions in her jade orbs. He didn't say a word but pushed the door open for her. As the door swung open, it revealed something entirely different from the sparsely furnished room it usually held. Inside was an equally dark sheeted bed with black mesh curtains draped around it. On the floor was an almost picnic like setting; a red blanket lay spread out with candles and desserts neatly placed on it.

Green optics took the rather romantic setting in as she stepped gingerly into the room. "Itachi, I –" Sakura was stunned into silence. There were no words for her to describe what she was feeling at the moment. The effort he seemed to put into this was breath taking. She turned to the Uchiha as he stepped in behind her and closed the door. "Do you like it?" He asked quietly, eyes soft and curious. He seemed genuine; unfortunately for him, it wasn't a false look like he had planned to give to her.

"It's beautiful." She whispered. But she was too afraid to move; she didn't want to disturb anything he had worked so hard to set up. But he was less caring and moved around her to sit near the bed. Like that first dinner, he was lit gently by the candles and as his eyes slid closed for a moment, his long lashes brushed over his cheeks and cast elegant shadows over his pale complexion. He was a vision in her eyes as she was in his. It was strange to think a 'heartless' being would have mutual feelings to perhaps the most emotional woman there was.

He beckoned her with a slender finger and waited for her to take her place in front of him. She was graceful and very careful as she knelt down. Before her were various small cakes, strawberries, dango, and a few other treats. All of them held the same orange glow that Itachi had. She sighed and almost teared up. "Why?" She had to ask. She still didn't understand his motives behind any of his actions. It was endearing, but so confusing.

"You're a special woman, Sakura," Again, her name falling from his lips sent a shiver down her spine. "I want to show you that. You've captivated me more than anyone ever has." He confessed. They were supposed to be lies. He wasn't supposed to have actual feelings behind those words, making them entirely true. But against his better judgement and personal wishes, they were there. "I am better when actions than I am with words." He finished quietly, picking up a strawberry and holding it to her lips.

Itachi's words left her dumbstruck. Sakura, of all people, had captivated him? She was always just this little nobody compared to everyone around her. All she could do for her friends was heal them, or punch straight through them with little effort. How was that anything special, anything noteworthy to gain the attention of one of the most powerful shinobi there was? She was utterly speechless, not that they spoke to each other often; his silent demeanor had caught on to her to some degree and she rarely spoke most days.

Now seemed a good time to be silent as well. But not a good time to completely freeze up. The Uchiha pressed the red fruit against her lips, lightly tracing them, to prompt her to eat it. It made her start in realization that he was trying to feed her and she tentatively wrapped her full lips around it. She bit off half and pulled away. He raised an eyebrow as she pinked and let a few amused notes out. Leaning back, he finished off the strawberry and placed the stem back on the plate.

Sakura felt his onyx gaze on her. She was embarrassed to meet it. She was so easily flustered while he was able to remain cool and collected in any situation. It seemed he knew affairs of the heart better than he let on. There might have been someone that held his heart once, either when he was young, or more recently. Either way, that might have something to do with why he was so cold. That thought gave her the courage to inch a little closer and to meet his gaze.

Sighing quietly, she picked up a stick of dango, pulling a piece off. Like he had her, the sweet hovered in front of his lips. Itachi smirked lightly. His plan would start working now that she was taking some part in the elaborate set up he had created for her. He closed the gap between his lips and her fingers, wrapping around the dango and brushing over her fingertips. He stayed there for a lingering moment and rested back. He was rewarded with a soft gasp from her. A sensation like she had never felt ran up her arm after his surprisingly soft lips touched her.

The medic wondered if he could read her easily in the dim light. She was sure if the sun were shining, he would be able to see her reaction to him. He had to know that he already had her to some extent. Was he trying to push her into complete compliance under him? Perhaps that's why he had been so nice to her. He knew there were feelings between them, strong and real and wanted to make sure she wouldn't leave him.

No matter how her heart felt this the right thing, to stay with him and forget her ties elsewhere, her inner self came out of its long hiding to yell at her. It looked through her big green eyes and cursed at the Uchiha. He was despicable, not worth throwing an entire happy life away for just him. But her loving was stronger. That silenced the shouting voice in her head as a piece of chocolate, lightly melted from being too close to the candles, made its way to her mouth.

As the truffle closed in on her lips, Itachi leaned forward, catching every flicker of emotion that passed through her eyes. As her mouth opened, he delicately placed the treat on her tongue. His fingertip didn't pull back; it smeared the melted chocolate on her lower lip as well. His dark eyes fell to the sugary marring on her and drew him closer to her. His clean hand rested on top of hers, keeping her place without forcing her to do so. It was a silent request that she allow him to touch her like no other had. This would be her first time, and he could only guess that he was the first to give her such affection.

Taking a shaky breath, Sakura swallowed the chocolate and met the raven-haired man. She shyly hovered near him, lips almost touching. His breath ghosted over her skin as he calmly sighed. He was still so at ease even when her heart pounded in her chest, threatening her ribs. She was sure he would be able to hear it at least with his proximity. She even thought he might feel how heated her face was.

It got worse as his tongue flicked out to lick at the chocolate on her lips. She inhaled sharply, a shock running through her nerves at how sensual that felt. Her mind was blank as she tried to recall if she had ever felt this way before. She had wanted to be so close to Sasuke once, but that was so long ago. Those feelings were dead and had never arisen with another before. It seemed only Uchiha were able to bring out such a reaction. The kunoichi whimpered slightly, unsure what to make of her own feelings any more.

She wasn't allowed time to think as Itachi moved to close the gap between them, his lips capturing her bottom one. A moan, unbidden and unintentional, escaped her as she felt him clean the sweet substance away. This, to him, was encouraging. It was a good sign and for once he wanted to hear more of it.

At the insistence of a certain fishy partner, he had allowed himself to indulge in physical pleasures. It was extremely rare that he had done so and he didn't think Kisame even knew about it. They were quick, impersonal, and quiet sessions. He forced the few women that had made it to his bed to face away from him so he could stare blankly, coldly at the wall. He had also growled at them to keep quiet, not making a single sound as he tried to relieve a little of his own stress. It had never worked and he swept out quickly once he was through.

But the woman that smelt of cherry blossoms before him was different. As he had said, she captivated him more than anyone. He pulled away from her, earning himself another whimper, to lick of the chocolate on his fingers. Once thoroughly cleaned, he threaded them into her long pink tresses until he reached the base of her skull. The Akatsuki sat motionless for a moment, simply taking in how flushed she was, how truly beautiful a creature this person could be in the candlelight. And no matter what, her eyes, half-lidded, were still wide and innocent, displaying all her emotions, even confusion.

It would astound anyone that she could be so naïve. It boggled his mind to think that she could think there was still a chance for the world to be at peace. But as he gazed into those verdant orbs, he lost his train of thought and didn't bother to get it back. He acted on instinct now, allowing his body to take charge instead of his mind. This was a completely different act from anything he had ever done before and wouldn't ruin it by planning anything or over-thinking things. Hopefully, she would do the same and simple go with the motions.

Luckily for him, Itachi's lips had completely silenced her inner-self, shutting down the logical part of her mind. Sakura didn't think after her pulled away, only reacted in the physical sense. Something in her did speak though. It told her this was going to be a night she wouldn't forget, a night of carnal activities that she wouldn't expect to share with this Uchiha. He would be her first and that terrified her. But anticipation and excitement overwhelmed that and showed though brighter than her fear.

She was willing when his lips met hers again. She responded and moved her lips tentatively against his, unsure what to do. The Sharingan user knew what to do though and was pleased he had an eager partner. He shifted closer and tilted his head to the side so it would be easier to deepen the kiss. Hooded black eyes stared intently as her jade ones slid closed, allowing her to only feel the pleasurable sensations provoked from the 'monster' she was taken captive by.

Deciding to hasten the pace slightly, the hand that had been resting on Sakura's wrapped around her waist, pulling her flush against him. Her eyes shot open in surprise and she squeaked into the kiss. The feel of his well-muscled torso against hers calmed her though. If it weren't for the shirts between them, she would have been surprised that he could be so well toned yet his skin remains silky smooth.


	6. Chapter 6

Haruno Sakura sighed in relief as she took a small sip from her teacup

bHere's that 'later chapter'. This is rated M for a reason. I'm sure you can figure out what happens and therefore can scoot along to the next chapter if you don't like this kind of thing./b

Time was passing slowly for Sakura, yet it felt as if it was late into the early hours of the morning. She wasn't sure what to make of all this. Her nervousness had protected her virtue thus far, but Itachi wasn't going to allow her to stall much long. They had devastated each other of their clothes down to their undergarments. She had blushed furiously when he was able to see the light pink lace that still wrapped around her body. Each time he had reached to rid her of the last barriers, she had reached for another sweet and started the process of light touches that slowly got more fervent. By this point, she was quite used to his tongue dancing with her. Though she had grown accustom to his touch, the feel of his skin against hers, it was still like electric.

That shocking touch alerted her to where his hand was wandering for the umpteenth time. Immediately, she reached for the nearest food item. But he was quicker an intercepted her hand and brought it to his lips, kissing each fingertip gently. "Don't worry, Sakura, I'll be gentle." He assured her, his voice soothing with a seductive undercurrent. Her breathing hitched and she couldn't help but relent. Biting her lip, she nodded and moved so it would be easier for him to reach the clasp.

Deftly, he undid the snap and slipped his fingers under the strap. He was gentle, as he said, as he pulled it down her arm, causing the lace to fall away from one of her supple breasts. Again, he had seen a woman's curves before, but this was the first time he took a moment to appreciate them and took some pleasure in just looking at the exposed skin. His other hand released hers and slipped off the other strap and completely rid her of the garment. Twin peaks were left for him to gaze at, rising and falling with each of her deep breaths.

His lips descended on her neck, teeth lightly grazing as he kissed down the pale, slender column. He sent chills through the woman beneath him, gaining soft mewls from her as his head went lower. He kissed across her collarbone. His moist path led him to her sternum and lower. His lips brushed down the valley between her breasts as his tongue poked out to lick at her skin. His moved along the bottom side of the first peak that gained his attention. She moaned as his lips encased her and suckled lightly. A hand went to the unattended breast and lightly massaged, making her lightheaded.

The Uchiha switched sides and repeated the process, building up her pleasure and getting her to arch her back into him. Sakura couldn't have dreamed that a man's touch would be so arousing. She had never truly looked this far deep into a relationship. She never pictured herself writhing in pleasure beneath a male as he worked his way back to catch her moans and whimpers in another deep kiss.

Itachi took this as a good time to try to tempt her into relenting completely to him. He loomed over her on the bed, holding himself up on one arm while the other slid between them. His fingers ghosted over her stomach and rested on her hip for a moment. His thumb caressed the crease created from her hipbone and thin physique. It didn't last long as his hand moved again to rest between her legs. She tried to close them but he put his own knee between hers to keep her from locking him off from her most sensitive area.

The medic gasped when she felt him touching the apex of her thighs. Her body was ready for him; it showed in how moist her panties had become. It was her mind that was holding her back. The logical side had come back and was yelling at her to grab her clothes and run for it. It didn't matter if she died, as long as she wasn't violated; it was fine that she take her last breath tonight.

He smirked to himself, knowing it would be easy to overcome that obstacle. He had studied the mind in vast detail and knew how to manipulate it perfectly. It was why he was praised, in a sense, and feared. His bloodline allowed him to take control of the mind and use the person as he wished, breaking their psyche and neutralizing them as an enemy. It was why everyone ran from him and thought him a monster. All but this woman now. He allowed her to see a softer side though it had been fabricated at first.

This softer side would only last as long as need be. Once she had served her last purpose he would force himself to completely detach from her. For the moment, he tugged at her underwear lightly, signaling her to raise her hips. She complied and the last of her barriers was added to the pile of discarded clothes. His eyes met her, smoldering with lust as he crawled back up to be level with her.

Once Itachi rid himself of his own boxers, they were left completely bare and able to press entirely against each other. Simultaneously, they sighed when he positioned himself between her legs and his chest pressed down into hers. It was the most sensual thing Sakura had ever felt, perhaps the most pleasing feeling there was. It was so much better than her personal success in breaking Ino's mind transfer technique. She was also better than a Sannin, which was an accomplishment as well, though she was still below Naruto and Sasuke.

She knew this would be the most vivid memory she would have made stronger by the fact that it was with the man that caused such a horrific event in Konoha history. Her thoughts were brought back into the memory in the making when she felt something poking at her entrance. She whimpered slightly, looking to the man above her for comfort and assurance. The onyx pools were surprisingly gentle when she met them and he whispered phrases of soothing words, letting her know it would be okay, that she wouldn't be hurt.

She wouldn't hurt much at least. He kissed her chastely as he pushed into her heated core. Her brow furrowed as she felt her muscles being forced to stretch and contort into an unnatural shape. Her hands ran up his arms and gripped his biceps tightly. He was lucky that she didn't put any chakra into her hands otherwise he would have broken arms. She was hurting more than she thought possible, even after years of pushing herself to be able to create large craters with her fists.

Itachi pulled away from her lips, but continued to sheath himself within her until he was completely inside. Then he let her adjust to his girth, brushing away a single tear that fell from her eye. It felt positively wonderful to him, but he hadn't known that it was so painful for a virgin and didn't realize that breaking through the barrier inside of her would cause tears. That was perhaps the one downfall of keeping the other few girls facing away; he didn't know what he was putting this innocent woman through until now.

Once she took a deep breath, the pained kunoichi nodded for him to start moving. It was in hopes that it would take away the hurt. Slowly, she felt each inch of him pulling out of her making her wince slightly. The Uchiha pulled out almost entirely before sliding back in just as slowly. It took a few of these agonizingly slow thrusts to get her accustomed to him and making her sigh in pleasure.

It brought another smirk to his lips to see her at ease with him again. Itachi wasted no time in picking up his pace for his own benefit. He groaned deep in his chest, the vibrations rumbling through her as well. That gained a shiver from her, making her inner muscles contract around him. His hands threaded into her hair as it splayed out around her in a pink halo. He gripped the locks tightly to keep control of himself. It was like this own first time. He hadn't been this affected by anything before.

They moaned together as they shifted against each other, skin sliding over skin as he thrust inside her. Her hands moved from his arms to roam over his upper back. She raised her knees of her own accord and locked legs around his hips. Sakura moaned loudly at the new angle this brought and arced into him. She was more comfortable with this man that she felt she hardly knew than she was in intimate situations with her closest of friends. It was surprising what a little kindness could do. Perhaps she just had Stockholm's and was her mind decided it better to care for her captor rather than fight him.

Either way, it seemed home would be a difficult place to return to now. She had developed deep feelings for the Uchiha and didn't know if she would be able to cut herself off. It still hurt remembering what Sasuke had done to her. It seemed a hard thing to purposely rip her own heart out just to go back home where she would have to bury her depression under looking happy and diving straight into work and not letting herself get a break. That would be the hardest thing she would ever have to do.

She was glad for the distraction though. He was able to keep her mind on one thing – him. Her one hand moved to the nape of his neck and began twining in his hair. It was so soft considering how he lived. She would have thought it to be a little harsher in her fingers considering how often he had to live out in the elements and with few commodities than most people most times. It was a pleasant surprised and she grinned to herself.

"Itachi," She sighed, startling the man. He looked at her, seeing how serene her face was now. His lips parted as if he were going to say something, but merely panted lightly with exertion from restraining himself. He didn't want to her hurt too much during her first time. It would probably be her last time with him as well. If he wanted her to be 'in love' with him, than he had to be careful with her. It was bothering him that he wanted to do such as well. In the back of his mind, he also didn't want this to end; he wanted to be able to have her whenever he liked if these were the reactions he was going to get.

This was getting far too deep for his liking. Closing his eyes, he tried to picture something other than those horribly expressive eyes of hers. They told him more than he wanted to know about her, more than he wanted to know about her feelings for him. But even in the darkness, those emerald robs were bright in his mind's eye. Grunting, he looked at her again.

He took some consolation in the fact that he could feel her muscles tightening around him. This would be over soon and he would hopefully have tired her out enough that she fell asleep quickly. That would allow him some time to think over this swelling emotion that wanted her around at all times. He kissed her lightly, keeping it soft so they could both still breath as their vitals continued to climb as they both neared their ends.

Sakura couldn't keep her moans down as he started to pick up his pace as he thrusted into her. When his eyes fell shut, she studied the light sheen that formed on his skin, giving him a sensual glow from the candlelight. She marveled at how his muscles moved under his pale complexion. Not only that, but it seemed as if most of his actions, especially this primal act was almost feline. It was so graceful and she moaned loudly just from the feel of him.

Lightly, she started to drag her nails over his back. Her mewls grew in volume and she was surprised that no one was coming in to see what was going on. Well, it was a good thing they weren't being disturbed as she got closer to immense physical bliss. His pace quickened again, making them both groan in desire. His name passed her lips once more and earned a deep growl.

After that one sound, the kunoichi arched her back to press her chest against him fully and felt her body writhe in pleasure. Her core contracted and convulsed around him as her orgasm rolled through her. It only took a few more thrusts before he fell into ultimate pleasure as well, a low sound coming from his throat as he did so. They both felt the other pulsating in, or around, the other and the sensations as he released inside her drove them further into a lusty haze.

It took a few minutes before they were able to calm down enough, his head falling into the crook of her neck, panting heavily. His hard breaths chilled her slightly because of the light layer of sweat coating her. Her legs fell to either side of him as his hips rested on hers until he was able to move himself to the side.

Once his head hit the pillow, Sakura rolled so she could face him, lovingly brushing his dark bangs from his eyes. The flame's glow barely touched those obsidian optics, making them darker than usual. It didn't really surprise her that she had a hard time seeing any emotions in them, but she could almost see a faint glimmer of what he could feel for her. She hoped it was really there; she didn't want to be the only one putting any amount of heart into this and not getting anything back … again.

"Itachi! She's –"

Kisame cut himself off as he shoved open the Uchiha's door. He was startled to see Itachi in bed, under the covers, and from what he could see, shirtless. This man was always awake long before now and fully dressed at this time. In fact, he was slightly surprised that he hadn't seen the raven-haired man wandering the base as he brought the medic her breakfast.

But upon seeing her missing, he had to go to the man who had taken her prisoner only to find him in this strange state. Itachi glanced over his shoulder to the shark-like male in his doorway. "She's…?" He prompted quietly in his deadened tone. He already knew what was going to be said, that she was gone. He also knew there would be a look in his partner's eyes that said he would be more than willing to go after her. His sadistic side arose and wanted to see the disappointed expression befall the blue hued man when he learned that she had simply moved rooms.

"Oh, right. The kunoichi, she's gone. She must have slipped out during the night." He finished, almost formally. The taller Akatsuki frowned deeply. He knew there would be some trouble, and through the darkened expression, a small gleam of murderous hopefulness was in his eyes. He knew of the Uchiha's want to keep her around for whatever reason, and had heard that if she tried to leave on her own that he wouldn't stop anyone that tried to kill her. That's exactly what he would do if the pink haired woman was missing and trying to get them captured themselves.

But any hopes he had of taking the medic's life were dashed at Itachi silently raised a feminine arm from around him. Sakura was sleeping soundly, against the Genjutsu specialist's chest; she had been like that since he had gotten back into bed after cleaning away the setup he had made for her. As expected, Kisame's face almost fell into a small childish pout when he realized that the woman was still present.

Then he put a few things together and grinned. He leaned and tilted his head slightly to try to get a glimpse of the medic's undressed state. He might not like her too much, but that didn't mean he couldn't appreciate a woman's form. Itachi gave him a warning growl, partly protective, partly annoyed that Kisame was still present though his concerns were put to rest. The other man didn't think much of it but chuckled darkly as he left, closing the door behind him.


	7. Chapter 7

Haruno Sakura sighed in relief as she took a small sip from her teacup

When Sakura woke up, she felt the soreness between her legs. She winced slightly and sat up. She glanced toward the small window that Itachi had in his room and saw that it had to be late afternoon, at best. She had never slept so long in her life. She sighed and pulled the blanket up to her chin. She was feeling far to exposed and there was something very off because she had woken up alone. The woman almost felt used and, scowling at the dark sheet, she scolded herself mentally for letting him manipulate her like that.

The door creaked quietly then, the Uchiha entering in his usual swooping motions. Her bright green eyes lightened when she saw him and a small smile took place on her lips. He offered her a plate of food and moved to sit beside her. "I thought you might be hungry." He murmured quietly in her ear.

Her smile widened and nodded. "You thought right." She started to pick at the food in front of her, making sure to keep herself covered. He may have been able to see her fully last night, but she was still shy regardless. A light blush overtook her face when she thought of what she had done the night before. It deepened when he brushed the backs of his fingers over her cheek. He was acknowledging what he was able to do to her.

"You will stay in here from now on." His voice was quiet, almost a whisper. It also held some form of emotion. The words themselves made her feel like she was actually wanted. Her heart leaped in her chest. Maybe what she saw last night was real. With any luck, he really did feel something for her and actually wanted her around.

As elated as she was at the thought, it also troubled her deeply. What if she returned to Konoha? Knowing that Itachi may love her, at the very least felt something for her, would tear her apart. Being on opposite sides of a fight, being so far apart would be so painful. There would be a lot of depression she would have to hide. But, if need be, she could lie about that. If she remembered correctly, he was still going to send her to Sasuke. He would be a scapegoat of sorts for her horrid sadness and it would be somewhat viable.

The medic sighed and turned her jade orbs on Itachi. He could see how confused she was. He knew he wouldn't be relieving it much, but he kissed her gently to at least keep her calm. His lips moved over her cheek and along her jaw line. Quiet words of assurance that everything would be okay fell from his lips and washed away her concerns for the moment. He didn't want her to worry about 'them' when Sasuke was only a few days off. So close. His goal would be realized within the week and he couldn't have any slip-ups.

With a last kiss on top of her head, he left the room again. He knew there was feelings for her digging their way to the service. But he couldn't deal with that in front of her, in front of anybody. He was supposed to be a solitary creature, void of emotions and nothing more than a weapon. He had to get himself back to that place and be able to kill her if the need came down to it. He took a deep breath as he left the base to go search for his little brother just to pinpoint his location and project his course for the next couple of days.

As those days passed, the pair spent only nights together. Sakura would study the new room she found herself locked in and was grateful that she could at least look outside. At night, she would fall asleep in his arms. He didn't touch her like that first night. He was still gentle with her, lightly brushing his hands over her face, hair, and arms, but nothing more. He was letting her body heal since he knew it must be hurting from her first penetration.

She agreed as well, allowing herself to revel in just his simple touches. But her mind didn't wander on just him. He was mentioning the youngest of the three surviving Uchiha more. She didn't know that the masked man she had seen a few times by now was part of the clan, but she found it strange he would bring up her old teammate. She spent long hours during the day wondering about her former crush, and dreamed of him every night.

In those dreams, the medic was horribly torn. She usually stood between the brothers, looking between them. Itachi stood tall, confident, and stoic. Sasuke on the other hand was irate. He yelled for her to move. It was always bright, be it day or night in the dream, and she saw the gleaming edge of Sasuke's sword. It was ready to taste Itachi's blood, ready to be stained crimson as both sets of eyes were alight with that very color.

Every dream, she fell to her knees in confusion. Did she go to her old friend and first love? To the person that paid her little mind and left her with insults ringing in her ears when he knocked her out as he was leaving Konoha? Or did she go to the man that made her feel more special than any man ever had? To the man that saw her potential and knew how strong she really was?

Her eyes shot open from another of those dreams. It was the night before Itachi would send her out. Her chest heaved as she panted in panic. She stared at the ceiling as she tried to calm herself. She glanced over to the other side of the bed. She was met with emptiness, as Itachi wasn't in the bed. He was in the chair across the room studying something. She didn't question it though. The kunoichi was well aware that he was an insomniac – the lines said he was one for many years now – and was unfazed that he wasn't sleeping with her. At least he was nice enough to hold her until she drifted off.

Restlessly, she turned over to stare at the wall and decipher her dream. Maybe she still did love Sasuke and just needed this to realize it. But he would most likely still be too bent on revenge to take notice of her feelings for him. Little did she know, she would soon see how much he still didn't care about her. It would be best if she did stay with Itachi in whatever respect they would 'be together'. That part was still a hazy mess as well.

Itachi glanced up from his map. He had felt the distress in her aura as she slept. Bad dream, nothing more. It was none of his concern anyway. He wasn't supposed to care about her. But he couldn't completely ignore the pull he felt to go to her. His arms longed to wrap around her and make her feel at ease again. He glared down at the piece of paper that had tracked Sasuke for months. Days spent detaching himself were ruined every night when he came to her.

It was ruined once more as he rose from his chair, cursing himself. He slipped under the covers and pressed against her back. Arms around her, he was serene, entirely at piece. The fact that he would be fighting tomorrow didn't bother him, not that it would anyway. He had been looking forward to this for longer than he had the medic under his watch. But something just made it seem less stressful. She also seemed to be at peace when he was close to her.

"I – I love you." The Uchiha was startled by the quiet voice that was barely audible. He stared, wide-eyed, at the pink locks in front of him. He couldn't believe his ears. He fought the grimace from disgust that anyone would say that. He also fought the smallest of smile that someone would say that. He had never been told that someone loved him. He had only been told to train harder, become better, reach his full potential. Then Madara came and told him how to gain such power that he had never imagined. Sakura knew none of this. Yet, through the monstrous things he had done that she did know about, she fell in love with him.

"And I you." He replied just as quietly. Itachi reasoned that if he didn't say the word love that it wasn't really there. He just said that to keep the calm anyhow. He just needed her one more day, perhaps another night, then no more. Burying in nose in her hair, the Uchiha mulled over love and this strange being in his arms well past when she fell asleep again.

It was starting to lighten when he finally got up again. Itachi left the room quietly then stormed down the hallway. His mind was not working properly. It was confused, conflicted. He needed to focus and hit Kisame's door once. It was loud enough to wake the slumbering man and he was greeted with a grunt of agitation. The death in Itachi's eyes was enough to let him know it was time. Beady eyes widened slightly and he nodded once, closing the door to prepare for whatever part he would play for the day.

The raven-haired man wouldn't tell him that they were up a few hours too early to get started, but he did need Kisame's agitation. It would be useful for part of the plan, a small part though. The only hitch in all of this was him. He was his own worst enemy at the moment. But blindness was worse than love. The consequences would be completely and unchangeable darkness that not even Sakura could keep off. He knew full well that it was about over for him, that there were only a couple more sessions in which the medic would be able to help, if that.

He sighed heavily and knew that was what he had to concentrate on. He was circling the drain in a sense and couldn't have anyone take his eyes away from him. Love wouldn't be worth it if he couldn't see. As much as he hated to admit it, he liked _seeing_ the contortion on her face as she climaxed with him. He had liked seeing the messy halo of pink tresses spread around her and how his own dark locks brushed over her cheeks as they framed his own face.

He liked seeing the sky the one night he had taken her outside. The stars had been bright enough that the blurring of his sight meant nothing. He was still able to appreciate the black and white of the sky. That was what was important. His expression went entirely blank now. He would be able to get through the day with the rationalization that he had come up with. She wouldn't be something that he had to worry about in any sense now.

Itachi returned to his room and simply stood against the wall, arms crossed, and waited.


	8. Chapter 8

Haruno Sakura sighed in relief as she took a small sip from her teacup

"Sakura, wake up. It's time."

Itachi gently shook the sleeping kunoichi until she rolled over into him. She breathed deep and smiled as she smelt fresh rainwater. She opened her eyes and grinned up at the man she thought loved her. "Time for what?" She questioned sleepily. Stretching, she sat up and moved to kiss his lips gently. He moved though so she only kissed his cheek. It perplexed her, making her frown, but since 'it was time' she figured there must be a reason he was pulling away like this.

He stood straight and took her hand, pulling her to her feet as well. "You must find Sasuke." The words were soft but sounded more like a command. Immediately, she was awake. Well, awake enough to understand she had to get changed. He thrust her original clothes into her arms. This was another thing that didn't make sense. She shrugged it off and warily changed in front of him. It seemed the last part of her designated job would be fulfilled now. He was releasing her, allowing her to run. But still, he wouldn't give her weapons back.

Sakura had to hurry, almost jog, to keep pace with the Uchiha as he went outside. Kisame was already out there, pacing. "Itachi, why did you get me up so early if I had to wait three more hours?" He all but shouted. He didn't really receive an answer to his question; he was just ordered to hand over his sword for the moment.

"Fight the kunoichi for a few minutes," Itachi told his partner before rounding on Sakura. "Once you are finished fighting, you will run toward Sasuke." He pointed in the general direction that his brother would be. After a while, she would simply feel the younger Sharingan user and go right to him. It was easy enough and there would be a trail for him to follow once he reached a certain point after Sasuke was convinced to eagerly, and blindly, hunting his elder brother.

Sakura's eyes widened as Kisame smirked at the command. He snickered and dropped his sword as he lunged for the stunned medic. It was good that her shock was still present; it allowed his first punch to land and sent her sprawling backwards a few yards. She blinked out of her stupor. Groaning, she stood up and was ready for the next attack.

Punches and kicks were delivered, neither letting up on the other though Sakura wasn't able to land any seriously damaging blows. Kisame was too quick for her but relented when Itachi quietly gave the order for her to start off. It would be roughly an hour for her to be able to find the boy and he wanted to get everything over with as soon as possible.

So, with a lingering look, Sakura took off an disappeared into the leaves in a flurry of fluttering pink strands.

"What now?" Kisame asked, rubbing his ribs where the medic had gotten a decent shot in. He moved to stand next to the Uchiha and took his sword back. "You wait here. If there are others with Sasuke … preoccupy them." Narrowed crimson eyes looked into pitch black before turning his back and starting off in another direction away from the base. He wouldn't lead anyone to the base and risk the others. This would also allow him more room and less interferences while he got what he needed.

Sakura panted as she ran top speed, jumping from branch to branch. Now that she was able to get away, she had to find a way to protect both men. She loved them both and, like her dreams, she was stuck in the middle. She had to keep Sasuke away, perhaps get him back to Konoha. It was save Sasuke from whatever Itachi meant to do, and it would save Itachi from death if his little brother was able to get in a fatal shot. She didn't want to see that gleaming blade in real life, and certainly not with anyone's blood on it.

By the time she picked up a small sign of Sasuke's presence, she was breathing fire. Her lungs burned and needles stabbed at her throat with every breath. Her muscles ached as well. They were being torn with how hard she was pushing herself while her heart pumped battery acid through her veins. She would tire herself out long before she got to her target and wouldn't be able to stop him. She slowed down, conserving some energy.

It took her another few minutes before she got a clear feel of her old friend. Again, the medic slowed. She jumped down to the ground. Her hair was a mess, bracken from the trees stuck in the pale strands, a few scratches over her body from her fight with Kisame, and dirt was all over her from that first hit that sent her to the ground. She jogged toward the singular chakra signature that was clearly the pirate-outfitted shinobi. This would have to be handled gingerly, she would have to be a bull in a china store with this one – dancing around the breakable object that was Sasuke's caged rage and pushing him away from the base.

A glimpse through the underbrush of black hair caught her attention. Sakura brightened and rushed forward. "Sasuke," She called, knowing her voice alone would tell him he was safe. He turned, face expressionless as always. She had grown very used to that look and felt odd not seeing the insomnia lines underneath the obsidian eyes. "Sasuke," She said again, quieter, her eyes full of worry. The kunoichi was glad he had stopped and eagerly moved to stand feet from him.

"I'm not going back," Was her greeting, the tone dark. Sasuke frowned at the pink haired woman, knowing she would want him to immediately go 'home' with her. He had a mission of his own and had nothing to do with her or Konoha. "What? Oh, no, no. I'm not here to bring you back." She said hurriedly, confusing him. He glanced around, looking for someone else as if she were just the distraction. He was also scanning the area for other chakra sources. His frown deepened when she was the only one here.

"Then what is it?" He was wary of what she was going to say; every time he ran into an 'old friend' he was reminded of what he once had and told he had to return. He didn't like that they practically ordered him to go back with them. He lightly fingered the hilt of his sword as he waited for her answer. It seemed weird that she would be out here all on her own and sounded so urgent when it had nothing to do with home.

"Your brother, he wants you to go to him. But you can't. Please, Sasuke, you can't go to him. You have to go somewhere else. I know something awful is going to happen." She pleaded with every fiber in her body. Her eyes alone spoke volumes of her caring for him. She stepped closer, ready to restrain him if she could. She didn't like being so direct but she seemed to have picked it up while living in such close quarters with Itachi. At least she hadn't picked up the telltale 'hn' yet.

"My … brother? He's here? Which way?" That was the only thing he heard. Itachi was near and he had to take his revenge now. His eyes bled red as his rage heightened. He didn't care how she knew, why she knew, or that she was trying to save him. The only thing that mattered was avenging his fallen family and making his brother suffer for all that he had put him through. He started off in a random direction, intent on scouting the area for miles in order to find the other Uchiha.

Sakura shook her head, cursing herself for failing already. She shifted to stand fully in front of him, hands on his bare chest. "No, you can't. Please." She begged him. Tears started to well up in her eyes. Her cheeks were in danger of becoming wet for her friend as they had many times before. "Just … just stay here with me for a little while. Come to the nearest village with me. You don't have to come home." Her breathing started to pick up in her panic.

"Sakura," Sasuke warned her with just that one word. Her name didn't roll off his tongue like it did Itachi's. His voice was still some kind of velvet, but it didn't hold allure in it. There was something off about it. Even at his most commanding, Itachi hadn't sounded so harsh and cruel as Sasuke did with just saying her name.

That was when the tears fell creating small streams down her face. "Please." The word fell on deaf ears though. The youngest Uchiha pushed her hands away and started off the way she had come. His Sharingan eyes scoured the forest in search for any sign of the man that caused the struggle she had obviously been in. He may not care much, but he was as observant as ever. He had to be if he was to track Itachi this far, for this long.

Then a spike of chakra caught his attention. Red and green eyes snapped to the general direction it had come from. It wasn't near the base, but it was close enough that even Sakura would be able to find her way from where Itachi was back to her prison of sorts. She shook her head and rushed after Sasuke when he took off. She called for him until her voice was hoarse, trying to convince him futilely to run away, not to play into this game. But he wouldn't listen. All the raven-haired man heard was the roaring of the wind as he ran and his own pulse pounding in his ears.

It was today that his revenge would be had. His suffering would be put to rest in the clearing where Itachi stood, alone. He would fall among the scattered flowers, his blood staining the delicate petals red. The Uchiha clan would have their peace, as their last son stood victorious and finally able to find a new way of life. He couldn't be sure how he would be accepted if he went back to Konoha, not that he was sure if he would even go back. But now was not the time to swell on that. He had to concentrate on the singing of his blade and the feel of it piercing his brother's heart.

They both stopped when they came to the edge of the clearing. Sakura stood further back in the tree line as Sasuke stepped forward. The tears still hadn't stopped but she was numb to the feeling. Her mind raced with different scenarios. She saw them both dying, one or the other dying, and even her own death trying to protect both of them. She started circling around to watch and look for the best opportunity to stop them both from hurting the other.


	9. Chapter 9

Haruno Sakura sighed in relief as she took a small sip from her teacup

Sharingan met Sharingan as the brothers stood on opposite sides of the clearing. It was deadly silent; not even a bird sang a mourning song. They advanced equally, step matched by step. They halved the distance between them and the sword on Sasuke's hip sang, as it was unsheathed. "Today, you die." The younger growled. He wouldn't leave until one of them was dead and he didn't intend for the deceased to be himself.

The slightest of smirks curled Itachi's lips. How many times had he heard that over the years? Too many by his count. And not a single time had he seen death. And now he was faced with seeing absolutely nothing. He wouldn't allow that and wouldn't let Sasuke stop him at any rate. He didn't even mind that Sakura was lurking near by. She would be useful since he would need some help with this once he got what he needed from his … "Foolish little brother. You are still too weak to defeat me. And today, you will finally pay for that weakness."

Sasuke bared his teeth when Itachi spoke. He cried out and lunged for the other man. He was quick, quicker than jade eyes could follow. His sword looked as if it was through the man Sakura loved. The only thing wrong was that it wasn't dripping with crimson liquid. What she couldn't see was Itachi's hand on Sasuke's wrist, redirecting the blade from a nearly fatal blow. His cloak was now slightly torn, but it made no difference.

"I told you; you are too weak." The elder Uchiha sneered. He could fight for hours and fend off his younger brother's onslaught the entire time. But he didn't have time for that. The migraine from using his bloodline was starting up already. Behind his eyes started to ache and he could tell the nerves were getting damaged from just maintaining the eyes' reddened state. "It is time for you to fulfill your purpose."

This confused the swordsman. Purpose? He couldn't recall Itachi ever mentioning him having an actual purpose before. His brow creased in questioning as he stared. He tried to pull away from his sibling, but found the grip on his wrist vice-like. He couldn't break it from simple pulling and his eyes were locked on Itachi's. It prevented him from putting his full attention on getting a few feet back so he could strike again, especially since the words were still hanging in the air.

"Explain." Sasuke ordered needing to know what he was fighting next. He had spent years thinking over the massacre and trying to keep himself from completely breaking down when Itachi forced the replay on him time after time. Now there was a purpose? This had to be worse if it had taken this long for it to be brought up.

With a smirk, the elder Uchiha let Sasuke's hand go and took a few cautious steps backward. "Your purpose, foolish little brother, is to give me your eyes. You are my spare, the sole reason for your continued existence." He said vaguely. He almost chuckled at the look of disdain, confusion, and rebellion in the lesser formed Sharingan. With a sigh, he relaxed his stance slightly.

"Years ago, Uchiha Madara was going blind from the use of his Mankeyou Sharingan, such is the curse of our bloodline. He, too, had a younger brother. Seeing him as his only chance to regain full sight, Madara took his brother's eyes, replacing them in his own sockets. Thus, he achieved the final and most powerful stage of the Sharingan. With it, he was also able to tame the Kyuubi."

He then let out a few hollow notes of laughter, glancing at the still green grass before seeing the astonished look on his brother's face. "Madara told me this … while training me before I killed our corrupt parents." His voice was darker, lower, and almost so low that Sakura didn't catch it. She was stunned and frozen to the spot at the admission. But she didn't move; she couldn't even though she knew exactly what Itachi meant to do now.

Sasuke's rage heightened as did his confusion. He had known of Madara, of course. He was one of the founders of Konoha itself and should be long dead by now. He let out a roar in his blind hatred at both Itachi, and now, the first to take his brother's eyes, starting a horrible tradition that he was about to be a part of. Once he stained his sword with his brother's blood, he would go after the other man who happened to be watching all of this from the shadows, unknown to all.

For a second time, the youngest surviving male of the clan lunged forward, aiming perfectly at Itachi's heart. Sakura jumped out then, yelling for them both to stop. Her lover had expected this, even counted on it, but Sasuke had forgotten all about her. The sound of her distressed voice and the fact that she was calling out for Itachi in an almost worried manner distracted him and, as he glanced at her, his sword drifted off target. This allowed the other in the battle to sidestep and deflect the weapon away from him with minimal injury.

The fight went on just long enough for the sword to take a few more thrusts then it was flung into the air. The blade sung as it flew through the air, the metal shining brightly in the sunlight. It came down feet from the medic, stopping on the outskirts of the clearing. She stared at the piercing point as it embedded itself in the dirt. Her green eyes, filled with worry, lifted to the brothers.

Itachi's black-tipped fingers were around Sasuke's throat, tightening around the pale column until the younger would submit to a degree. Regardless that his air-supply was getting cut off, Sasuke fought against the grip. He struggled to get away until his face started turning red. Though his cheeks were getting very bright, enough so that the color was clear to even the lurking Uchiha could see it, his Sharingan burned brighter with rage. But as Itachi had said, he was weakened by the connection he had with his former friends.

"Don't fight; you've already lost," It was a demeaning comment proving that the middle Uchiha was superior. He had won before the fight began. He had been planning all this out for months, long before he had Sakura in his grasp and it all worked out perfectly. His free hand reached out for his first prize of two until he was called out for again. "Sakura, stay back, please. This is none of your concern yet," He motioned for her to stay where she was, mid-stride while she moved towards the pair with ebony locks, shining in the sun.

This bought Sasuke a moment to try to break free again. It didn't work and he was struck – backhanded into being still. "Get .. off .. me .." he managed to choke out, tugging futilely at Itachi's wrist. He had more than enough chakra left to kick anyone's ass three times in a row, but without air, he was unable to do anything. He gasped as he was punished for speaking out with a tightening of a strong hand.

A small whimper escaped the helpless woman. She knew she still couldn't fight Itachi though she was at full chakra. And if she tried, Sasuke would take that time to kill her lover. She was being torn in two directions and she didn't know which part of her heart to listen to. Tears streamed silently down her face. She sobbed quietly, her heart pounding in her ears so loud she couldn't hear the words that passed between the brothers.

A second time, Itachi's hand went to pluck a reddened eye from its socket. A scream of agony ripped through the tense air, forcing birds from their nests and flying out of the trees. The forest was silent as Sasuke cried out his pain. He was able to breath freely again when Itachi's hand left his throat to grab a container to hold his new eye.

Finally, the grass tasted blood of an Uchiha. Sasuke's cheek was stained crimson, a deeper red than his blushing face had been from lack of air. Pale fingers were also painted the scarlet color. It wrenched Sakura's heart to see such a thing and she rushed forward, pushed by the medic in her. She had to help no matter the risk.

The kunoichi was stopped feet from her patient but the harsh, commanding tone of a deadened Itachi. That stabbed at her just like Sasuke's blade. She looked at the man she loved in horror, both loving and despising him for what he was doing. But what could she do against him? He had the Mankeyou and could torture her worse than he had Kakashi. And being that she was draw by her love and caring to the scene, she wouldn't run from it. Her emotions were killing her now – this would be the end of her.

Three sets of eyes went to the half-blind Sasuke though. He had grabbed out a kunai, still hoping to take his revenge. It was to no avail; his current state left him lacking in depth perception that he hadn't gotten used to and he was disarmed again. He was forced to the ground, still struggling to get free and try to get the upper hand.

Not moments after his back hit the dirt, he lost his second eye. He was entirely blind now. He would have no chance in defeating Itachi now. It would be years before he got back to where he was minutes before after training to hone his other senses to the effectiveness he had with his eyes. Even then, he wouldn't be as powerful. Without his bloodline, he had only the curse seal. He rolled onto his knees, curling into a ball as his sockets bled fiercely.

Sakura rushed forward again, closing the feet between her and the Uchiha men. Still, her hands didn't reach her former teammate. Her fingertips skimmed over his once perfectly white shirt before being pulled away. The pristine color was disfigured by grass stains, dirt, and his own blood. The medic cried, her throat growing ever more hoarse. She was calling for Sasuke, struggling against the arms around her waist, pulling her away from where she wanted to be.

"Why? Why, Itachi? Please, why?" She sobbed uncontrollably, turning in the arms, her small hands that could punch through a tree fisting up in the ebony cloth of Itachi's torn cloak. "I have only days with these eyes. I do not want to fall into darkness. I need your help now," was her answer that quieted her frantic pleas to let her put Sasuke's eyes back where they should be. She glanced between the brothers, one calmly looking down at her, the other writhing in pain.

Torn. She was always so torn. She collapsed into the arms around her and wept until she had no tears left in her. It took a good amount of time for her to calm down. Both the Team Seven-ers were quieter, Sasuke still whimpering in pain though. "Let me .. just .. take care of him first," she asked, dry sobs still shuddering through her.

Sakura was released and she was immediately at her friend's side. Her hands became stained red like both of the Uchiha in the clearing. Like Sasuke though, her shirt was left with red handprints as well from Itachi holding onto her. Her gentle touch soothed the blinded man slightly. The light scent of cherry blossoms in the air told the youngest male who it was and his face contorted to show so many emotions. Even without his eyes, the medic felt she knew what he was feeling. He was sorry for so many things. He was sorry that he had hurt her so badly, that he had betrayed his closest friends and left his village for a now pointless reason. He was sorry he had failed his family, now unable to avenge their deaths through the deaths of both Itachi and Madara.

His callused hands felt up her soft arms to her neck. He apologized softly, his voice low, dark, and clearly depressed. His friend embraced him in a tight hug, forgiving him for everything and doing her best to comfort him. "Let me … I …" She was at a loss for words. She didn't know how to verbally sooth her friend and she burst into fresh sobs. Her heavy breaths were the only indication that she was crying anymore. She had exhausted her tear ducts and her cheeks were drying from the last of them.

Slowly, one hand moved to hover over Sasuke's face, his chin resting on her shoulder. Her hand glowed green and her cool chakra poured into the empty sockets. Sakura bit her lip as she healed the damaged nerve endings. She hated herself that she wasn't giving him back his sight, couldn't give it back. It was her turn to whisper grieving phrases of contrition. The raven-haired man was silent, unable to give verbal acceptance.

They both sighed and she moved away from him, letting him curl up and assess his own situation. Her dull green eyes couldn't meet the now black orbs of Itachi's. She held out a bloodied hand that had brushed over Sasuke's cheek to take the container. She would fix the middle Uchiha now and mourn freely the rest of the day.

The procedure had been a quick one; Itachi's eyes came out and Sasuke's went in, forming the final and most powerful stage of the Sharingan. She had looked into those new eyes with love and hate, with caring and wanting to flee from him conflicting in her jade optics. She was void of most everything in her posture and her movements were stiff. Itachi wanted one more night with her, then she would be let go to bring Sasuke home.

The medic carried her friend and lovingly deposited him in her old room that still smelled of her. She hoped he was asleep as she exited. She hadn't the mind to really take notice if his vitals were slow and deep enough that would indicate sleep. She sighed and leaned her back and head against the door after she closed it. Kisame passed by, frowning at how dirty and bloodied up she was. He had missed all the fun. He knew he had when he saw Itachi, who had entered minutes before the medic and her burden. He had seen the knew form of Sharingan in his partner's eyes and it had actually scared him. He knew there was more power in the man than he had ever seen.

From the corner of her eye, she saw her lover waiting for her. Itachi knew he could be seen and gestured for the rosette haired woman to enter his room. Obediently, she did, not saying a word. Her eyes were always down as she went to sit on the bed and pulled her knees to her chest.

"Sakura, please, stand," The Uchiha requested of her. Again, she obeyed. She barely moved as he undressed her. She was entirely stripped and stood naked in the dimming light in the room. The afternoon was starting to fade into evening. It was as if the coming actions had to be veiled in darkness, allowed to be witnessed by the moon and the moon alone. They weren't suppose to be together, never should have even thought to fall for each other.

Yet here they were, Sakura had given Itachi her heart willingly. And he had given her his, unknown to him until now, and quite reluctantly. He didn't like that he felt such a connection with the woman that stood bare in front of him. He sighed and undressed himself before pulling her flush against him.

They stood like that for a long time, the Uchiha all the time studying his room. The details he had missed for years was amazing. He had even looked down at the woman in his arms, memorizing each pink hair on her head and what he could see of her pretty face. He needed to see more of her though; he needed to take in everything about her so he would be able to picture her perfectly when she was gone.

He pushed her away gently, steering her backwards onto the bed. For hours, until the room was almost entirely dark, he worshiped her in a way. His fingers grazed over her body, over her curves and full chest. He kissed tenderly over her face as his hands brushed over her long milky legs. He had jaded her today, torn her rose-colored glasses from her and crushed them. And still, she was here with him. She still loved him for some reason.

He sighed and knew he would never understand her. Sakura, in turn, didn't understand why Itachi would hurt his little brother so, but still held his enchantment that held her to him. Her own hands and run up and down his skin, idle patterns traced here and there when he stopped and simply stared down at her.

Each to the other was a vision in the moonlight that streamed in from the small window. Though it was considerably dark, she could still see his new eyes, bright red and with a new wheel in them. He as well could tell her green eyes had gained back their brightness.

Those eyes. They had destroyed them both. He was now a man with feelings, as dim as they were. He loved her fully and hated her for doing this to him. It was humiliating that he should feel so tied to someone, unable to kill them once their usefulness was run out. But here she lie, safe as ever and he sighed his contentment that she was even in his arms. She was a creature to be reckoned with and he loved that he might be one of the people that she held closest to her heart. "I … love you," He uttered quietly, choking slightly on the words since it was the first time he had ever said such a thing.

Her heart skipped a beat when he confessed his feelings for her. She lay there stunned for a moment. She couldn't believe he had said that and would cherish it for the rest of her life, no matter how miserable she would be. She kissed him deeply, wrapping her arms around his neck and pressing herself as close to him as she could.

And so the night went. The pair exchanged soft words of love, tender touches, and moved together in copulation as if that was their sole purpose – to pleasure each other and nothing more. They didn't waste a moment sleeping so they could commit every inch of the other to memory. Not a thing went uncaught, every sound would be remembered to torment them during their lonely nights apart.

It was early morning, the sun peeking into the room when the Uchiha finally adjusted them so they could sleep. Sasuke was long forgotten about by now after a night of soft passion. Sakura sighed and curled into the solid chest of Itachi and the scent of rainwater. Sleepily, she peppered kisses where she could before she fell into a deep, dreamless sleep. Itachi was up a little longer, again, memorizing her in the light. Then he followed her into sleep until the night.

Not once would they be disturbed, even by the shark-like man that was still irate that he hadn't seen the bloodshed. But Madara had checked in on both his descendents. He was proud of Itachi for accomplishing such a goal as he had. No pity was on the masked man's face though when he looked down on Sasuke. 'Tobi' had stood over the youngest of the clan for hours, contemplating him and his own brother. Then he had sighed and left to take on a more cheerful personality that the Akatsuki had become accustomed to.

Then, finally, night descended again, signaling it time for Sakura to take her leave. She dressed in black, the clothes she had been given during her stay with Itachi these past few months. She ushered the blind Sasuke out of the base, pausing only when called after. She whispered to her friend that she was going to finally bring home to stay where he was as she left his side.

Itachi took her into his arms one last time, kissing her head. He only did so because they weren't being observed. He had made sure no one was lurking so he could display his affection freely. He cupped her chin and lifted her head so she looked into his eyes once more. It was a long silent moment before he kissed her with as much passion as he could muster. He whispered to her, then sent her on her way, totting Sasuke along beside her.

The last thing she was told from her lover before disappearing into the forest and heading for Konoha sent chills down her spine. It instilled a sense of anticipation that would never quite go away.

"_I will come to you. I will see you again, I swear."_


End file.
